NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 349, 26 July 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Telegraphic. —The steamer Otago is expected to leave Hokitika at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the 28th instant. Telegrams for the Australian colonies or Europe, via the Java cable, will be received at the Christchurch telegraph office for transmission to Hokitika up till 2 p.m. of the 28th inst.

East Christchurch District.—A meeting of the householders of the Bast Christchurch education district will be held at the Oddfellows’ Hall, Lichfield street, on Thursday, the 291 h instant, for the purpose of electing a member of the school committee, in the room of Mr W. Dymock resigned. Inquest,—An inquest was held on Saturday, at the Royal Hotel, Lyttelton, on the body of a man named Harry Wilson, which had been found floating in the harbour. The deceased was one of the seamen of the Syren lost from a boat on June 6th. After hearing the evidence the jury returned a verdict of “ Found drowned.”

St Vincent Concert Company. —Mr St. Vincent and Mademoiselle Montebello, who were here some time back with the Smith continental combination, and Mr F. Verten, commence a a short season to-night at the Theatre Royal. The programme includes songs and dances by Messrs St Vincent and Veiten, and,magic by Mrille Montebello. The troupe appeared on Friday and Saturday at the Colonists’ Hall, Lyttelton. Presentation. —A presentation was made on the 23rd inst by Mrs and Miss Maddison, on behalf of the parishioners of Templeton, to the Rev Mr and Mrs Page, on the occasion of their leaving the district. The present took the form of a purse of sovereigns, and in making the presentation, the ladies requested the acceptance of the gift as a token of the esteem in which they were held, and the appreciation of their services during their residence amongst them during the last five years. They deeply regretted their departure, and assured them that they would take with them their prayers and good wishes.

Wheeler and De Glorion Troupe.— These clever artistes gave their last performance at the Theatre Royal on Saturday evening to a good house. During the Uoraan rings by the DeGlorion Brothers one of the guys supporting the trapeze gave way, and the brothers fell, Mr E. DeGlorion being slightly injuiod by the fall, not sufficient, however, to prevent his re appearing in the flying trapeze act with Mdlle Lo-Lo. The programme went well throughout, the various songs and sketches being loudly applauded. The troupe leave to-day for Dunedin overland, and we hope to have another opportunity of seeing them in Christchurch.

Fatal Accident.—Yesterday a man named F. Wright, residing on the Papanui mad, was at dinner with his family, when a piece of meat became wedged in his throat, and all efforts to remove it proved unavailing. Dr Patrick was sent for, but before he arrived the man was dead. An inquest was held at 4 p m. this day at the Junction Hotel. Art Union op London. —Amongst the prizes won at the late drawing of the Art Union of London we find the following names of Christchurch subscribers :—Entitled "to a work of art, value £25, Mr H. Fielder ; entitled to a work value £lO, G. L. Mellish ; entitled to a statuette, “ Netmending,” G. Fletcher ; entitled to a volume of fifty-seven autotypes from the society’s prints, Mr P. Cuff. The highest prize, that of the value of £SO, goes to Invercargill. Fire at Kaiapoi.—On Saturday an old four stall stable, situate on the first Kaiapoi Hotel property, belonging to Mr C. Oram, and used by Mr J. Sims, carrier, was burnt down. About 1.30 pm. the alarm was given by the Mayor (Mr Kerr; ringing the bell. Within a few minutes the Volunteer Fire Brigade, under Mr Foreman Smith, mustered with commendable alacrity. The hand engine was brought out and soon put into action to check the fire spreading to Mr Beharrell’s premises at the Northern store, and to Mr Hansen’s, saddler, as well as the block of buildings at the corner of Cookson and Charles streets. Steam was raised on the “ Torrent” in nine minutes, and when the two branches from this engine came into play the fire was soon put out. Mr and Mrs Hoskins.—After so long an interregnum of variety entertainments, Christchurch playgoers, and those who take an interest in the best form of dramatic representations, will rejoice to hear that Mr and Mrs Hoskins, supported by one of the strongest companies in all departments that has yet appeared in the colonies, open a dramatic season here on August 20th. This is some weeks earlier than was at first proposed, but we feel certain that Mr Hoskins will have—as he alwajs hitherto has had — the generous support of Christchurch audiences in his endeavour to provide them with an entertainment of a very high class. Whilst expressing our pleasure at the advent of so talented a company, and assuring them of a hearty welcome, we cannot refrain from referring to the present theatre with a hope that something will be done to remove the stigma which now rests on Christchurch, of having the very worst theatre in New Zealand. Strangers visiting us express surprise that in a city of the pretensions of Christchurch, and where the people have shown themselves such generous patrons of any really good entertainment, we have been content to allow the only theatre to become a byeword for inconvenience and discomfort, alike to the audience and performers.

A fatal explosion of gun-cotton took place at the Woolwich Arsenal on May 24th. A foreman named Charles Young, of the Laboratory Department, and a workman named Walstow, both selected for their skill, experience, and caution, were employed in one corner of the large factory preparing for an experiment a 7-inch Palliser shell by filling it with moist gun cotton and compressing it with a hydraulic ram. While the charge was being rammed home the shell burst, and its fragments, weighing in all some 1201 b, were scattered all over the workshop. Young was killed, and Walstow was so fearfully mutilated that he died on Tuesday. Another man named Bardon, who was employed at other work in the same shop, was also much hurt, but hopes are entertained of his recovery. “ The Marine Board of New South Wales,” the Sydney Morning Herald states, “ has held an inquiry into the circumstances connected with the loss of the Rangatira, which took place on the Nokucka reef, near the Havannah Passage, New Caledonia, on the 81st May last. The vessel was a screw steamer of 450 tons, 130-horse power, the property of the A.S.N, Co; she was uninsured, and commanded by Archibald Woods, and became a total wreck on her passage from Fiji. There were no lives lost by the accident. The Board found that the loss of the vessel was occasioned by Ihe influence of an unexpected current. From the evidence Captain Woods appears to have been vigilant and at his post some time previous to the wreck, the Board therefore did not feel called on to prefer a charge of default against him.”

In an article upon the debate which took place in the House of Lords on the affair of Langalibalele, in Natal, the Colonies makes some remarks on Lord Carnarvon’s action in the matter, which have a wide and general application, Our contemporary observes: —“A colonial office which is a mere tool of the volition of a colony, which cannot adopt any Imperial policy, or discharge any Imperial function, is a sham from which all men would speedily fall away. The very notion of an empire implies vitality in its several parts, and vitality means control of some kind over the other combined members. The problem—hitherto so happily solved by the British Empire—is to harmonise the several actions of each of the parts; to assign to each its propersphere, yet so as that the whole body exercises an influence everywhere. England has willingly granted local independence to colonial Parliaments, yet some obligation to think of England and to regard her wishes is clearly understood. England consents to accept protection tariffs, exercised again her own products in the colonies, but she could not tolerate decrees enacting slavery in any of them.”